Electrolyte Imbalance in Seizure Patients Presenting to the Emergency Room: A Frequency Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36283/ziun-pjmd14-3/009Keywords:
Electrolyte, Hyponatremia, Hypernatremia, HypocalcemiaAbstract
Background: Seizures, caused by abnormal brain electrical activity, are a major neurological issue in children. In Pakistan, pediatric seizure prevalence is significantly higher than in many other countries. Electrolyte imbalance is a known but under-researched cause of seizures, especially in children. The present study aimed to determine the frequency of electrolyte imbalance in patients presenting with seizures.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi from January 1st to June 30th,2023. Forty patients under 18 years presenting with seizures were included using non-probability consecutive sampling. Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS version 21.0 was used for data analysis. Mean±SD was used for descriptive statistics. An independent samples T-test was applied, with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Of 40 patients, those with known epilepsy (n=14) had significantly lower serum calcium and magnesium levels (p=0.016 and 0.001) than those with first-time seizures (n=26). Patients on anti-epileptic drugs (n = 7) also showed lower calcium and magnesium levels (p = 0.001 for each) and higher sodium levels (p = 0.029) compared to those not on AEDs (n = 33). Potassium levels remained within normal limits across all groups.
Conclusion: Patients with prior epilepsy and those on AEDs are more likely to have electrolyte imbalances, particularly involving calcium, magnesium, and sodium. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring electrolytes in pediatric seizure patients, especially those with known epilepsy or on medication.
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